Lottery game

ABSTRACT

A lottery jackpot game in which the player obtains first play indicia at least in part from a lottery sponsor, the first play indicia may be matched by second play indicia obtained solely from the lottery sponsor to form key indicia and the determination of a prize is in part determined by the arrangement of the thus obtained key indicia.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is generally directed to a lottery game inwhich the player obtains a plurality of play indicia at least in partfrom a lottery sponsor from a first universe of play indicia, and theplay indicia is then matched from play indicia from a second universe ofplay indicia entirely selected by the lottery sponsor, such matchesforming key indicia. It is the arrangement of the thus obtained keyindicia which at least partially determines whether a prize is won.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Lottery games in which a player selects three, four, five or sixnumbers from a universe of numbers and then sees if any one or more ofthose numbers are matched by a drawing conducted by the lottery sponsoris well known in the lottery industry. The player may select all of thenumbers or may have a lottery sponsor do so by a random selectionthrough a computer. These so-called lottery jackpot games have been verysuccessful especially those games requiring the picking of five or sixnumbers from a universe as large as or exceeding fifty numbers. Suchlotto jackpot games typically involve the use of numerous remotecomputer stations, often located in retail stores throughout a state,that communicate with a central computer. The manner in which such gamesare conducted by the lottery sponsor (e.g. a state lottery commission)is well known in the lottery industry.

[0003] While such games have been successful for a number of years,especially when the prize fund is at a relatively high level, theysuffer from a significant drawback in that the overall odds of winning aprize are very poor because of the traditional large pay outs for thetop prizes (e.g. 6 of 6 or 5 of 6 numbers correct). Because the odds ofwinning any prize are very poor, player participation has declined inrecent years. This is because present lottery game designs do not allowlotteries to offer a game containing a significant jackpot award andgood overall odds of winning a prize. This is due in part because, asdesigned, present jackpot games offer very few possible award outcomes.Further, the award outcomes that are produced are either of awardoutcomes employing very poor odds (with exclusively relatively largeprize awards) or of very good odds with exclusively relatively smallprize awards, leaving the lottery with only two options; a) offer asignificant jackpot prize and forego using the good odds outcomescreating a game with poor overall odds of winning a prize; or b) offer asmall jackpot prize utilizing the good odds outcomes, creating a gamewith good overall odds of winning a prize.

[0004] There is therefore a need in the lottery industry to provide ajackpot type of lottery game in which the odds of winning are improved,significant jackpot prizes may still be won, and the determination ofwhether a prize has been won depends not only on the number of matchingplay indicia, but how they are arranged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention provides a jackpot type of game whichoffers a significant jackpot prize while the overall odds of winning aprize is dramatically improved over conventional jackpot type of games.

[0006] The present invention is generally directed to a lottery game ofthe jackpot type where a player obtains a plurality of play indicia froma universe of play indicia at least in part selected by the lotterysponsor and then looks to match the selected play indicia from a secondgroup of play indicia which is entirely selected by the lottery sponsorto form key indicia. In accordance with the present invention a prizemay be won if the arrangement of the key indicia meets certain criteriaas established by the lottery game rules.

[0007] In a particular aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a jackpot lottery game with improved overall odds of winning aprize comprising:

[0008] (a) a game card comprising a play area having a predeterminednumber of play spaces with at least some of the play spaces arranged inat least one prize determining pattern with each play space having anindividual first play indicia associated therewith obtained from a firstplay indicia selection system;

[0009] (b) a first play indicia selection system comprising apredetermined first universe of play indicia for assigning first playindicia from the universe for each play space, the selection of firstplay indicia from the first universe by the player, the lottery gamesponsor or combination thereof to thereby provide each play space with afirst play indicia;

[0010] (c) a second play indicia selection system for randomly selectingsecond play indicia from a second universe of play indicia wherein thesecond play indicia are selected solely by the lottery game sponsor,wherein the matching of a second play indicia to a first play indiciaforms a key indicia; and

[0011] (d) said play area having the play spaces arranged in a manner inwhich the formation of key indicia in said at least one prizedetermining pattern of play spaces may result in the winning of a prize.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The following drawings in which like reference charactersindicate like parts are illustrative of embodiments of the invention andare not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claimsforming part of the application.

[0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a lotterygame in accordance with the present invention featuring a tic-tac-toestyle play area;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a lotterygame in accordance with the present invention in which the play area isin the form of a circle;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a third embodiment of a lotterygame in accordance with the present invention in which the play area isarranged in the form of a pyramid; and

[0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a fourth embodiment of a lotterygame in accordance with the present invention in which the play area isarranged in the form of a face.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention is generally directed to a lottery ticketand particularly to a lottery game played thereon in which a pluralityof first play indicia are assigned to the player which must be firstmatched with second play indicia randomly selected by the lotterysponsor to form key indicia in which a prize may be won based on thearrangement of the key indicia.

[0018] Traditional lottery games of the jackpot type are constructed sothat the overall odds of winning a prize are generally very poor,typically on the order of from about 1 in 20 to 1 in 50. The reason forthe poor odds is the combination of the percent of payout given to thelottery sponsor and the type of prizes awarded.

[0019] Typically, prizes are awarded if the play matches at least fournumbers of a total of six numbers. Thus, prizes are awarded for matching4 of 6, 5 of 6 and 6 of 6 numbers. While each prize awarded has arelatively high dollar value (e.g. $50-$60 up to a jackpot winningticket which can be worth up to several millions of dollars), there arerelatively few prizes awarded because the overall odds of winning aprize are very poor (e.g. 20-50 to 1). Thus, in this format, the jackpotgame has an outcome that is based on very poor odds of winning a prizeto the exclusion of prizes based on relatively good odds of winning aprize.

[0020] Each jackpot lottery game is played with the understanding that acertain percentage of the money collected will be available for prizeswhile the remainder typically at least 50%, is reserved for the lotterysponsor (e.g. a state lottery commission).

[0021] By way of example, a state lottery commission offered a jackpottype pick-6 game obtained from a universe of 44 numbers in which theoverall odds of winning a prize were 1 in 20 while the state lotterycommission retained 50% of the revenue. The prize structure was asfollows:

[0022] a) approximately $1.7 million dollars for matching 6 of 6numbers;

[0023] b) $750 for matching 5 of 6 numbers;

[0024] c) $30 for matching 4 of 6 numbers; and

[0025] d) free play for matching 3 of 6 numbers.

[0026] Heretofore there have been no lottery type jackpot games thatsignificantly improve the overall odds of winning a prize while allowinga larger number and greater variety of prizes to be awarded.

[0027] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided ajackpot type lottery game in which the overall odds of winning a prizeare improved over conventional jackpot type games while the lotterymaintains its customary payout of revenue. The lottery games alsoprovide a larger number and greater variety of prizes due to theemployment of predetermined arranged pattern of play spaces whichprovide additional opportunities to win a prize.

[0028] Referring to the drawings and first to FIG. 1, there is shown alottery ticket 2 having a non-play area 4 and a play area generallyshown by the numeral 6. The lottery ticket 2 is constructed in a waywell known to those of ordinary skill in the art in the lotteryindustry. A substrate, typically made out of a paper product such aspaper board is coated with a series of materials including layers of inkwhich enable graphics to be printed thereon. The lottery tickettypically includes means for authenticating the ticket such as a barcode (not shown) to enable the lottery ticket sponsor (e.g. statelottery commission) to determine if the ticket is a valid ticket.

[0029] The present invention is principally concerned with the play area6 and the interaction of play area 6 with the selection of play indiciaprovided by the lottery sponsor as is customary in a jackpot type oflottery game. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the play area 6comprises pairs of spaced apart lines which are perpendicular to eachother thereby forming a grid 7 containing a total of nine individualspaces 8. Each space 8 has a first play indicia 10 (e.g. a number)associated therewith so that all of the spaces 8 are associated with afirst play indicia which is different than the first play indicia of anyother space.

[0030] It will be understood that in FIG. 1 and other figures shownherein the numbers have been exemplified as representative first playindicia. It will be understood that the term “play indicia” whetherfirst or second play indicia as used herein is broad enough to includeany symbol, icon, picture, letter, word, number and the like which couldbe differentiated one space from another.

[0031] When all of the first play indicia 8 (e.g. numbers) are filledwithin the grid 7 comprising the spaces 8, the player has a fullcompliment of numbers which may be matched by second play indiciaselected from the lottery sponsor as described in detail hereinafter.

[0032] In accordance with the present invention, the filling of eachspace 8 with a first play indicia 10 is at least partially provided bythe lottery sponsor. In this regard, the player has an opportunity toselect some, but not all, of the first play indicia which is to beassigned to the individual play spaces 8. For example, the rules of thegame may provide that the player may select five numbers 10 forinsertion into individual spaces 8 of the grid 7. The remaining fournumbers will be chosen randomly by the lottery sponsor and the playerwill be presented a ticket in which the four numbers that he or she haspersonally selected and the five random numbers are placed on the grid 7so that one number is placed in each space 8.

[0033] In an alternative embodiment, the player need not select any ofthe first play indicia 10 but may have the lottery sponsor (throughrandom selection typically by a lottery sponsor computer) select each ofthe first play indicia 10.

[0034] Once the selection process is completed, the player is issued aticket with the nine selected numbers individually set forth in playspaces 8 within the play area 6. At an appropriate time, the lotterysponsor has a drawing in which second play indicia are selected from asecond universe of play indicia corresponding to the first universe.Each occurrence of a match between the second play indicia and the firstplay indicia results in a key indicia which is represented in FIG. 1 bya circle surrounding each key indicia (e.g. 31 in the top right handcorner of the grid). One element of having the opportunity to win aprize is how many key indicia are formed by the matching of the secondplay indicia selected by the lottery sponsor with the first play indicawhich appears in the play area of the lottery ticket.

[0035] However, unlike conventional jackpot type lottery games, thematching of first play indicia and second play indicia is not solelydeterminative of whether a prize is won. Instead of or in addition tothe matching of first and second play indicia, a further event isavailable, namely the arrangement of key indicia to meet therequirements of a preselected pattern. It is this further event whichprovides the opportunity to improve the overall odds of winning a prizewhile increasing the number and variety of prizes which may be won.

[0036] Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the key indicia shown by thenumeral 12 are circled. There are five such key indicia 12. Inaccordance with the rules of the game, each arrangement of three keyindicia in a row constitutes an event which may result in the winning ofa prize. In the specific example of FIG. 1, the five key indicia 12 formtwo diagonal lines of three key indicia per line. If the rules of thegame provide that two lines of three key indicia per line is a gamewinning ticket, then the player will have won a prize. As is apparentfrom FIG. 1, the lottery game depicted therein has a format similar totic-tac-toe.

[0037] It will be noted that if the play indicia located in the centerof the grid 7 (i.e. the number “9”) was not a key indicia (e.g. thenumber 9 was not selected by the lottery sponsor from a second universe)then, despite the presence of four key indicia, there would be no linesof three key indicia per line and if the rules of the lottery game sodictate, no prize would be won.

[0038] The lottery game of the type shown in FIG. 1 provides theopportunity to play a jackpot type game by matching a second playindicia to a first play indicia to form key indicia, but also providesimproved odds and a greater variety of prizes by having other prizewinning elements in the game to determine if a prize has been won (i.e.to satisfy the requirement that the key indicia be arranged in apredetermined pattern).

[0039] It will be understood in accordance with the present inventionthat prizes may be awarded not only for having key indicia arranged in apreselected pattern but also for having a minimum number of key indicia.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a second embodiment of thepresent invention in which the play area 6 contains, for example, twelveplay indicia in the form of a circle. A prize may be won in accordancewith the rules of the game, for example, by at having at least three keyindicia 12 in a row along the circle. It will be understood that prizescould be awarded for a greater number of key indicia in a row and mayalso be awarded if a minimum number of key indicia are presentregardless of whether they are arranged consecutively in a row.

[0041] In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the player may havethe opportunity to personally select, for example, six first playindicia (e.g. numbers) from the first universe and then have theremaining six numbers selected randomly by the lottery sponsor. Thearrangement of the first play indicia in the play area 6 will in partdetermine whether a prize is won if there is the necessary key indicia12 formed by the matching of the first play indicia on the ticket andthe second play indicia selected from the second universe of playindicia by the lottery sponsor. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, sixkey indicia 12 are formed as indicated by the circles surrounding thesame. As shown specifically in FIG. 2, the key indicia are all arrangedin a row which may be indicative of a prize if the presence of sixnumbers in a row is a prize winning event.

[0042] A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3in which the play area 6 is in the form of a pyramid containing nineplay spaces 8. Each of the play spaces 8 is provided with one first playindicia by having the player select, for example, five play indiciadirectly and having the lottery sponsor select four play indicia. Aprize may be won, for example, by forming key indicia as explained inconnection with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2. If the key indiciafill the spaces 8 in a preselected pattern (e.g. matching any fivenumbers along the side of the pyramid, or by matching three numbers thatform the middle row of the pyramid or any other such combinationsincluding the formation of a minimum number of key indicia), then aprize may be won. As with the other embodiments herein, an additionalprize winning event may occur by having a minimum number of key indicia.

[0043] In a further embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG.4 there is provided a “happy face” game format comprised of a game area6 having individual play spaces 8 each capable of having a single firstindicia 10 therein. Six of the play spaces 6 form a “smile”, two of theplay spaces comprise the “ears”, two of the play spaces comprise the“eyes” and one of the play spaces is the nose. In conducting the game,the player may pick up to all of the first indicia from the universe ofplay indicia provided by the lottery sponsor. By way of example, theplayer may select 6 of the first play indicia while the lottery sponsormay pick 5 of the first play indicia. Prizes may be awarded forcompleting the play spaces comprising the smile, combinations of eyes,ears and nose, or one or more of the eyes, ears and nose or a minimumnumber of first play indicia (e.g. 4) in any location.

[0044] Thus, it will be apparent that the number and type of prizes issignificantly increased, there still remains the opportunity to win asignificant prize, and the overall odds of winning a prize aresignificantly improved as compared with conventional jackpot lotterygames as previously described in which there may be only three differentmonetary prizes awarded.

What is claimed is:
 1. A jackpot lottery game with improved odds ofwinning a prize comprising: a) a game card comprising a play area havinga predetermined number of play spaces arranged in at least one prizedetermining pattern with each play space having an individual first playindicia associated therewith obtained from a first play indiciaselection system; b) a first play indicia selection system comprising apredetermined first universe of play indicia, for assigning first playindicia from the first universe for each play space, the selection offirst play indicia from the first universe by the player, the lotterygame sponsor or combination thereof to thereby provide each play spacewith a first play indicia; c) a second play indicia selection system forrandomly selecting second play indicia from a second universe of playindicia wherein the second play indicia are selected solely by thelottery game sponsor, wherein the matching of a second indicia to afirst play indicia forms a key indicia; and d) said play area having theplay spaces arranged in a manner in which the formation of key indiciain at least one prize determining pattern may result in the winning of aprize.
 2. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein the play area is in theform of a tic-tac-toe board.
 3. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein theplay area is in the form of a circle.
 4. The lottery game of claim 1wherein the play area is in the form of a pyramid.
 5. The lottery gameof claim 1 wherein the play area is in the form of a face.
 6. Thelottery game of claim 1 wherein the first play indicia is selected atleast in part by the lottery game sponsor.
 7. The lottery game of claim1 wherein a prize is won if there is a minimum number of key indiciapresent.